“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone”
– Ephesians 2:19-20 –
Paul says that the gospel is available to all. To those who, like the Jews, feel close; as well for the Gentiles, who are far away. Christ wants all of them to belong.
God, and those sent by God, work to reconcile, which means to bring together, to gather the pieces, and rebuilt the puzzle. Sin is a great divider in this world. It has been dividing since the Garden of Eden.
The apostle will use three examples to prove that we are citizens, members, and living stones: one nation, one family, and one building.
We are not foreigners in a foreign land, nor strangers just passing through. We are fellow citizens of the saints. Israel was the nation chosen by God, but they rejected the Lord, and the kingdom was taken from them. Sin divides, but Christ reconciles.
The new nation is the church.
We are reconciled in order to be part of God’s family. The family of the earth and of that of heaven which will become one at His return (Eph. 3:15).
We have one Father, and we are all brothers and sisters.
The last example is a temple, a building. God dwelled in His sanctuary, in the life of Christ, in the church, and in us. God dwells in the heart of the believer and in the church. Christ is the main cornerstone which supports the building. The Jews thought about the temple in Jerusalem and the Gentiles about the temple of Diana. Both were detroyed. However…
Christ’s church will remain forever.
The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are two small seas in Palestine, separated by a mere sevety-five miles. They are united by the Jordan River, but are different from each other. The first receives water from the north and sends it multiplied to the south. It is a channel. Life thrives around it, and in its crystal waters there is an abundance of fish.
The second receives waters from the north but does not share a single drop. It water is so salty and bitter that there is no life in its waters. All around it are deserts and desolation. While the Sea of Galilee is an appropiate symbol of life, the Dead Sea is an impressive symbol of death.
We are not foreigners or strangers. We are fellow citizens of the saints.
We are not orphans. We are a part of God’s family.
We are living stones whose purpose is to complete God’s building.
Reconciled in order to reconcile others.
May our Heavenly Father be with you…